Hurghada/Safaga

Language

The national language is Arabic; it is often spoken with a slight dialect.

Currency

In Egypt, the Egyptian pound is paid in sign LE or EGP. 1 LE = 100 piasters. Coins have values ​​of 1, 20, 25 pounds and 50 piasters, and notes 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Egyptian pounds.

Best travel time

Due to the position of Egypt being in the subtropical belt of North Africa the climate is mostly hot and dry.

Visa requirements

In order to vacate to Egypt you need a valid travel, diplomatic or service passport. An Egyptian visa is valid for 30 days and cannot be extended. It can be obtained at any international airport upon arrival in Egypt. The visa costs 15 USD being a one-entry ticket and is valid only for touristic purposes.

Vaccinations

Before traveling to Egypt you are very strictly recommended to take vaccines against yellow fever, hepatitis A and typhoid fever. Other possible vaccinations could be taken against rabies, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, meningitis, polio or measles.

Traditions and Culture

Throughout Egypt over 90% of the population follow the religion Islam which is the state religion. 7% are Coptic Christians and the remaining 3% are Jewish, Orthodox and Catholics. Given the large number of followers of Islam in Egypt, life is controlled by them. Five times a day one hears from minarets a singing voice, which assembles all citizens to pray. For tourists it is a very unusual and interesting thing. Prayers are broadcasted in radio, therefore people who cannot attend the minaret, because they are on a public transport, can pray at their whereabouts listening to the broadcasted prayers. For tourists it is a very interesting attraction. Another attraction are the mosques. Entry to them is usually free, sometimes for a small fee. Before entering a mosque, it is necessary to take of your shoes. Shoes can be left outside the mosque, or carried in with you, but it is necessary to remember that visitors must carry them in their left hand and the shoe soles should be directed towards the body.

By bus

One option for transportation from Hurghada and other cities are minibuses. These are a relatively cheap and fast way of transportation. These minibuses run differently than conventional buses with an established timetable. They can transport up to 14 people and run from 7:00 am to midnight. As already indicated, minibuses do not set timetables, and do not stop at classical stations. They drive on their routes, and passengers can join at any point along the route.

By plane

Airport Hurghada (HRG) This airport is one of the largest airports throughout Egypt. It is located about 5 kilometers from the city of Hurghada, which is a very popular tourist destination, as one can spend summer vacations or long weekends there at any time of year. The airport is worldwide known by the acronym HRG and has only one terminal. Low cost airlines such as Air Berlin, Arkefly, Condor, Corendon, easyJet, Jetairfly, Meridiana and others use this airport for domestic, international and intercontinental flights. In total there are 12 low-cost airlines flying over the airport.

Experience and enjoy

Monuments Hurghad:The city's oldest mosque is located in the northern part of El Dahar. Entry to the mosque is allowed only to Muslims. Tourists can only look into it through the main open door at a time during which there is no prayer.In El Dahar one can also find a small Coptic church, built in the French style in the early 20th century. It is accessible for tourists. Monuments Safaga:Safaga Soraya under this name hides a fascinating diving area, it is one the biggest reefs. It is located near the island of Safaga Island. Divers can dive into a depth of 5-15 m, however there are some walls which have drops of over 200m. In this surrounding one can encounter stingrays, soft corals, lion fish and jack fish, even hammerhead sharks have been spotted by divers at the end of spring.TripsSafaga is also suitable for sightseeing trips and visiting surrounding resorts. For example, at Karnak, Luxor and the Valley of the Kings and Queens there are a lot of historical attractions that can be seen.